Rectangular-can-end feed device and method of feeding can ends



A. DE r50. RECTANGULAR CAN END FEED DEVICE AND METHOD OF FEEDING CAN ENDS.

APPLICATION FILE!) MAR. I2 19??- 1,365,819. Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

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[N ENTOR go ATTORNEYS WITNESSES A. DE FEO. RECTANGULAR CAN END .FEED DEVICE AND METHOD OF FEEDING CAN ENDS.

APPUCATION FILED MAR-12,19.

Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

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Patented Jan. 18,1921.

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'ft" ATTORNEYS A. DE FED, RECTANGULAR CAN END FEED DEVECE AND METHOD OF FEEDING CAN ENDS.

' APPLICATION LED MAIL 12,191]- 1,'.365,819. Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

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REGTANGULAR CAN END FEED DEVICE AND METHOD OF FEEDING CAN ENDS. APPLICATION FILED um. 12. 19M.

1,365,819. Patented Jan. 18,1921.

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ATTORNEYS A DE FEO. RECTANGULAR CAN END- FEED DEVICE AND METHOD OF FEEDING CAN ENDS;

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P atented Jan. 18,1921.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAR. 12, 1917. 1,365,819.

, A. DE FED. RECTANGULAR CAN END FEED DEVICE AND METHOD OF FEEDING CAN ENDS.

APPLICATION HLED MAR. 12, I917.

Patented Jan. 18. 1,921

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A. DE F EO. RECTANGULAR CAN END FEED DEVICE AND METHOD OF FEEDING CAN ENDS.

I APPLICATION FILED MAR.12,I9I7- I 1,365,819 Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

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(a 6 I a WITNESSES:

/ ATTORNEYS.

UNITED srA'r ls r sn'r OFFICE.

ALBERT DE FEO, OF BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS, ASS-IGNOR TO AMERICAN CAN COM- PANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BECTANGULAR-CAN-END FEED DEVICE AND METHOD OF FEEDIiN'G CAN ENDS,.

Application filed March 12, 1917.

To all RU/L071). it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT Dn Fno, a subject of the King of Italy, residing in Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Iin rovement in Rectangular-(lair End Feed evices and Methods of Feeding Can Ends of which the following is a speci fication.

This invention relates in general to the feeding of can ends and particularly of rectangular can ends having straight flanges. Diliiculty in feeding such can ends in the past has been occasioned by the tendency of such can ends to nest irregularly, that to say, some of the ends have been tilted, resting at their lower end in the can end next beneath them, with the flanges of the two in close contact at one side and the flanges of the two Widely separated at the other.

A principal object of my present invention is the provision of a method of and means for feeding can ends of this character positively and accurately from a stack one at a time and this whether said ends be irregularly nested or not.

A further object of the invention is the production of this result without expensive or complicated equipment, machinery or machine parts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the ac-- companying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying my present invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are plan views showing respectivelythe arrangement of such device in non-feeding and feedii'ig positions;

Fi e. 4,, 5, 6 and 7 are sections taken substantially on the lines 4r-4h of Fig. 2; of Fig. 3; 6-6 of Fig. 2 and 7-7 of Fi 3; i

igs. 8, 9 and 10 are sections taken through the can end supports and showing successive positions of the same with re spect to the endsbeing separated; and

Figs. 8, 9 and 1O are similar views through the parting knives or separators.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown on the drawings a complete feeding mechanism or device Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

Serial No. 154,165.

which is adapted to be operated from the bodymaking machine or fillin machine, in connection with which the device is to be used. For the purpose of avoiding confusion, however, only certain parts of this machine are illustrated, as will be later described. The feeding device is a holder adapted toreceive a stack of can ends and for this purpose can end guides I. extend up from the machine and permit can ends to be inserted from the top. The stack guides rest upon and are secured by cap screws 2 or other "fastening means to a retaining ring 3, which retaining ring is se cured inv position, by a drive-fit, upon an upturned flange i and against a shoulder 4; of a stationary cam plate 4, which will be described more in detail hereinafter. A plurality ol" keys 5 extend through suitable slots in the flange 4 and stack guides preventing rotary movement of the guides and rendering them stationary. The stationary slotted cam plate 4i supports an intermittently rotatable or oscillating member (3, having a hub 6, embracing the flange i. This plate is caused to oscillate about the center of the stack by a connecting rod 7 pivotally connected to it at 7 and driven by the mechanism of the body-making machine of which it may, for the purposes of this invention, be considered a part.

The stationary cam plate 4 has four slots arranged in pairs, the members of each pair icing disposed on opposite sides of the stack guides, these pairs being numbered 8, S and 9, 9 on the drawings. Four slots arranged in pairs and indicated at 10, 10 and 11, 11 are provided in the oscillating member or cam plate 6, the members of these pairs being arranged also on opposite sides ot the can end stack guides and partly over the slots 8 and 9. A. roller pin. 12 connects each set of slots 9, 11 and 8, 10 having a roller sleeve 13 (llSPOSGtllIl its slot 10 or 1.1 and an enlarged roller head disposed in its slot 8 or 9. It will be noted from the draw ings that at each oscillation of the plate or member (5 the pins 12 will be caused to reciprocate toward and from a stack of can ends in the guides 1 and it will also be noted that the arrangement of the slots is such that the pins in the slots 9, 11 move oppositely to the pins in the slots 8, 10.

The pins in the slots 9 control and actuate can end supports which are projected be lOO neath the stack to bring the lowermost can end to accurate horizontal position(with the upper surface of the can end held in proper position to be separated from the stack by the operations of separators which act under the influence of the pins in the slots 8.) The slots 8 are longer than the slots 9 and the separators are intended to support the stack until the supports are returned to operative position after each separation. The supports in the present instance comprise plates 17 which are pivotally mounted at 1'? from a plate 15 in turn slidably mounted in guideways in the plate 4L above bars 14. A. plate 16 is secured above the plate 17 and in the guideways and to the plate 15. The pins 12 extend down into the plate 15 and cause the plates 15, 16 and 17 to reciprocate into position beneath a stack of can ends and to an inoperative position again during the operation of the feeding device. Stops 18 are provided upon the plate 15 to bear against lugs 18 and retain the plate 17 in. accurate operative position.

Figs. 8 to 10 and 8 to 10 are provided to show the related action of the supports and separators. Considering Figs. 8 and 8 which show the parts in the same and what might be termed the initial positions, it will be noted that the lower can end 1 rests upon the supports 17 with its flange in seats 2%. The separators 20 are retracted and the upper surface of the flange of the can end 1 is at or just below the edges of the separator edges. Figs. 9 and 9 show a mid-position, that is, the separators are just about to enter upon their separating operation. Fig. 9 shows the position of the supports at this time. These supports pass out of operative relation the instant the separators have engaged. This causes the separators to actively separate every end from the stack. This also insures that the separators separate nested ends since the flange of lower end 1 is held upon the supports at the instant the separators engage. r fter separation the separators serve as supports until the supports are again in action may be seen in Figs. 10 and 10 The entire device is preferably supported on one end at a bracket 23 from the machine operating on the can body and at the other end upon a post or other suitable support 22.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will. be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a can end feeding device, the combi- Liilll eli'ective recesses, and supports and separators 2. in a can end feeding device, the combination ol' a can end stuck holder, O1')1)0Sll0l movable ran end supports having recesses ol" a depth equal to the thickness of :1 lat can end flange adapted to IQKJIYC ilie flung;- of the lowermost can end, oppositely inov able can end separators having can end enparts which have edges operating at the plane of the tops ol? said recesmis to en- Tll gage between the flanges 01" the louwrmosl can end and of the can end next above in case said l'la is are in contact at any point. and means or reciprocating said supi mrls and separators alternately.

3. In a can end :leeding devivc for can ends having flat flanges, the combination ol a can end stack holder, oppositely movable can end supports adapted to engage llll l0l the flange of each lowermost can end and support the same always at the same plane, oppositely n1 valiile can end SGPiLIHiTOl'S having can end engaging edges operating at a plane which is the thickness oi a fiat can end edge flange above the first mentioned plane, and means for reciprocating said supports and said separators alternately.

4. In a can end feeding device for can ends having flat flanges, the combination of a can end stack holder, oppositely movable (an end supports adapted to engage under the flange oi each lowermost can end and support the same always at the same plane, oppositely movable can end separators haw ing can end engaging edges which have their separating operation effective in the plane of the top of the flange oi" the lowermost can end, and means for reciprmzating said supports and said separators alternately, and for engaging said separators under the. flange of tl e ran end next above the bottom before said supports are withdrawn from under the flange of the bottommost (an end.

5. In a can end feeding device for can ends having flat flanges, the combination ol a can end stack holder, oppositely movable can end supports arranged to engage under the flange of the lowermost can end. oppo sitely movable can end separators arranged with their operative edges the thiclmew ol a can end flange above said supports and adapted to engage under the flange of the can end next above the lowermost and at the plane of the top of the flange of: said lowermost can end, and mechanism for moving said supports and said separators alterlllii l lll mass nately, said mechanism being arranged to give to said separators a longer movement than to said supports.

6. In a can end feeding device for can ends having flat flan es, the combination of a canend stack hol er, oppositely movable can end supports arranged to engage under the flange of the lowermost can end, oppositely movable can end separators arranged with their operative edges the thickness of a can end flange above said supports and adapted to engage under the flange of the can end next above the lowermost and at the plane of the top of the flange of said lowermost can end, and mechanism for moving said supports and said separators alternately, said mechanism being arranged to engage said separators directly with the sec-- ond can end before said supports release the first can end.

7. In a can end feeding device for can ends having flat flan es, the combination of a can end stack hol er, oppositely movable can end supports arranged to engage under 1 the flange of the lowermost can end, oppo' sitely movable can end separators arranged with their operative edges the thickness of a can end flange above said supports and adapted to engage under the flange of the can end next above the lowermost and at the plane of the top of the flange of said lowermost can end, and mechanism for'moving said supports and said separators alternately, said mechanism being arranged to give to said separators a more rapid movement than to said supports.

8. In a can end feeding device, the combination of a can end stack holder, a fixed plate connected therewith and having radial slots, an oscillatory plate having slots inclined to a radial direction, can end supports and can end separators which are alternately and oppositely movable inwardly and outwardly, and pins engaging said radial slots and said inclined slots, certain of said pins engaging said supports and others of said pins engaging said separators, the inclined slots being arranged to move the supports and separators oppositely at each movement of said oscillatory plate.

9. In a can end feeding device, the com bination of a can end stack holder, a fixed plate connected therewith and having radial slots, an oscillatory plate having slots inclined to a radial direction, can end supports and can end separators which are alternately and oppositely movable inwardly and outwardly, and pins engaging said radial slots and said inclined slots, certain of said pins engaging said supports and others of: said pins engaging said separators, the inclined slots being arranged to move the supports and separators oppositely at each movement of said oscillatory plate, the inclined slots which actuate the said supports being shaped to retard the outward movement of the supports while the separators are moving inwardly.

10. The method of feeding rectangular can ends formed with flat flanges and having a tendency to nest irregularly, which consists in lacin them in a stack and without controlling t eir nesting, and bringing the bottommost can end of the stack to accurate horizontal position before removing said can end from the stack, and separating the flange of the bottommost can end from the flange of the can end next above, at the plane of the top of the flange of the bottommost can end.

11. The method of feeding can ends formed with flat flanges and having a tendency to nest irregularly, which consists in accurately positioning the lowermost end of a stack of nested can ends by supports applied to the flange of said end and separating said ends between the flanges and at the plane of the top of the flange oi the lowermost can end while the lowermost can end is so held.

12. The method of feeding from a stack straight-sided can ends having flat flanges and having a tendency to nest irregularly, which consists in supporting the bottom can end entirely by its flat flange, and then separating and supporting the stack at and from the plane of the top of the said flange, and then releasing the bottom can end.

13. In a can end feeding mechanism for feeding can ends from a stack holder and the like, the combination of supports and separators for the can ends which are alternately projectable into and retractable from the path of the can ends, and means for so actuating said supports and separators comprising a fixed ring having radial slots, a ring which is turnable relative to said fixed ring and provided with inclined slots which cross and intersect said radial slots, and pins which engage within alternate radial slots and their intersecting inclined slots and also engage with the supports, and pins which engage within the other radial and inclined slots and also engage with the said separators,

the inclined slots for the pins which engage the supports being inclined oppositely to the inclination oi the inclined slots for the pins which engage the separators, the inclined slots for the pins which engage the supports having portions which are substantially concentric with the axis of the turnable ring so that the supports are not retracted from the path of the can ends until the separators have been projected into supporting position.

14. I11 :1 can end feeding mechanism for feeding can ends from a stack holder and the like, the combination of supports and separators for the can ends which are alternately projectable into and retractable from the path of the can ends, and means for so actuating said supports and separators comprising a fixed ring having radial slots, a ring which is turnable relative to said fixed ring and provided with inclined slots which cross and intersect said radial slots, and pins which engage within alternate radial slots andtheir intersecting inclined slots and also engage with the supports, and pins which engage within the other radial and inclined slots and also engage with the said separators, the inclined slots for the pins which engage the supports being inclined oppositely to the inclination of the inclined slots for the pins which engage the separators, the inclined slots for the pins which engage the supports being shaped differently from the inclined slots which engage the pins of the separators so that the supports are not retracted from the path of the can ends until the separators have been projected into supporting position.

15. In a can end feeding mechanism for feeding can ends from a stack holder and the like, the combination of supports and separators for the can ends which are alternately projectable into and retractable from the path of the can ends, and means for so actuating said supports and separators comprising a fixed ring having radial slots, a ring which is turnable relative to said fixed ring and provided with inclined slots which cross and intersect said radial slots, and pins which engage within alternate radial slots and their intersecting inclined slots and also engage with the supports, and pins which engage within the other radial and inclined slots and also engage with the said separators, the inclined slots for the pins which engage the supports being inclined oppositely to the inclination of the inclined slots for the pins which engage the separators, one pair of the inclined slots having portions which are substantially concentric with the axis of the turnable ring so that the can end. engaging elements actuated by said pair of slots are not retracted from the path of the can ends until the other can end engaging elements have been projected into supporting position.

16. The combination of a can end stack holder, supports and separators operating with radial motions inward and outward and alternately with, each other, a fixed ring formed with radial slots, a ring having a turning movementand formed with slots inclined relative to said radial slots so as to pass across the same, and pins arranged in said radial and inclined slots at their inten sections and connected with said supports and separators respectively, the inclined slots which actuate the supports being inclined in one direction and those which actuate the separators being inclined in the other direction so that the supports are withdrawn outward when the separators are advanced inward and vice versa.

17. The combination of a can end stack holder, supports and separators operating with radial motions inward and outward and alternately with each other, a fixed ring I formed with radial slots, a ring having a turning movement and formed with slots inclined relative to said radial slots so as to pass across the same, and pins arranged in said radial and inclined slots at their intersections and connected with said supports and separators respectively. the inclined slots which actuate the supports being inclined in one direction and those which actuate the separators being inclined in the other direction so that the supports are withdrawn outward when the separators are advanced inward and vice versa, the inclined slots which actuate the supports having one portion of the slot extending in a direction different from the direction of the other portion of the slot to effect the relative timing of the supports and separators.

18. The combination of a can end stack holder, supports and separators operating with radial motions inward and outward and alternately with each other, a fixed ring formed with radial slots, a ring having a turning movement and formed with slots inclined relative to said radial slots so as to pass across the same, and pins arranged in said radial and inclined slots at their intersections and connected with said supports and separators respectively, the inclined slots which actuate the supports being inclined in I.

one direction and those which actuate the separators being inclined in the other direction so that the supports are withdrawn outvard when the separators are advanced inward and vice versa, the inclined slots for the separators being substantially straight and those for the supports being substantially angular.

Signed in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT DE FEO. lVitnesses ELIZABETH F. DOLAN,

Roy BRACKETT. 

